


How to Save a Life

by Cornerofmadness



Category: Angel: the Series
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-24
Updated: 2019-09-24
Packaged: 2020-10-27 06:01:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 565
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20755502
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cornerofmadness/pseuds/Cornerofmadness
Summary: A little life depends on them.





	How to Save a Life

**Author's Note:**

> **Disclaimer** \- As always, Joss Whedon owns them, not me.
> 
> **Timeline** – Between season three and four
> 
> **Author’s Note** – written for emmatheslayer for the prompt: Angelverse, Fred Burkle /Charles Gunn, cat saving

“I don’t see him anywhere.” Fred sighed. She had started the evening filled with hope. All she had left now was sore feet from walking so much and a dead Incodo demon, judging by the pile of purple fizzing ooze. They had hoped the Incodo would have a lead to help them find either Angel or Cordy but that was gone now. Worse, Connor had disappeared.

Gunn waved her off. “He’s not a team player, Fred, never going to be. I don’t even think he knows what a team is.”

She shrugged. “We just have to keep in mind where he was raised and by who. He wanted to be here to see what the Incodo knew.”

Gunn scowled at the pile of ooze. “Pointless now. Let’s call it a night.”

Fred nodded, taking his arm. Gunn turned them in the direction of the Hyperion. The night was relatively quiet, given that it wasn’t that late. She was glad of it. They had enough on their plate without something awful cropping up. Just as that thought tripped across her mind, Fred heard something that stopped her dead.

“What? Is something wrong?” Gunn side eyed her as she pulled him to a stop.

“Didn’t you hear that?” Fred followed the thin meow to the back of the nearby alley. She uncovered a little kitten trapped near a dumpster. “Oh Charles, look, there’s wire wrapped around it’s back legs. It's trapped. Help me.”

She didn’t want to think about someone might have done this deliberately. She held the fluffy black kitten still as she could as Gunn unsnarled the wires from its stick legs. Once freed, Fred cupped it to her chest. The little ball of fur barely struggled. 

“It’s so weak. It needs food and some water.”

Gunn put a hand on her arm. “We can take it to a shelter in the morning.”

Fred pouted at him. “Charles, it needs help now.”

He nodded. “We can feed it and give it water and then on to the shelter.”

“I want to keep him.” Fred stroked its fur and it purred in spite of its sad state.

Gunn’s brow furrowed. “Really?”

“What’s wrong with that?”

“I just thought if I had a pet it would be a dog, you know someone who could help us if push came to shove, a nice big dog.”

“He’s so cute though.” Fred pushed the kitten closer to Gunn whose expression melted. “Look at that face.”

“But we’re already taking care of one feral,” Gunn protested.

Fred shot him a baffled look. “We are?”

“Connor.” He smirked, and she hip bumped him.

“Charles!”

“You can’t tell me he’s not.”

Fred laughed. “No, I can’t. But this little guy would take care of all the mice in the hotel, maybe even the rats when he gets bigger. I know how you feel about those.”

Gunn’s eyes widened. “You have a point. And he’ll be easier to train than Connor.” He scratched the kitten’s head. “Guess you’re coming home with us little guy.”

“Thanks, Charles. Let’s get him home.”

Fred cuddled the kitten to her. Charles would run out once he got them home to get food and litter. They might not have any new information to help them find Angel and Cordy and they had temporarily lost Connor again, but they had saved a little life. It was a good night.


End file.
